The other week my mother-in-law-to-be (that probably isn’t a real term, but it should be, considering the average length of the American engagement: 16 months! Random fact…) took me to the Appalachian Artisan Center in Hindman, Kentucky, a place I’ve been meaning to go, but keep being to busy running our Artisan Center here in Pike County to get over there. I definitely should have gotten there sooner, because it is a great example of what an Artisan Center should be.

They have a little café and shop, where we had a great lunch, and two other buildings on the same street, one for artists’ studios and workshops and another that is still in the renovation process. We were taken on a tour of the facilities by Carol, the outreach coordinator, who introduced us to some of the jewelers and other artists who have studios at the Center.

The artwork at the Appalachian Artisan Center is juried in by the artists themselves, and all of it is quality work. (There is a strong focus on the artists and helping them market their wares, which is so important, I think—it’s so hard to know how to promote and sell your own work.) There are hand-woven baskets, pottery, handbags, furniture, paintings, photography—pretty much a sampling of every art form one can think of. This place really showcases how much talent and variety there is in these mountains. Check them out at www.artisancenter.net or better yet, visit them on Main Street in Hindman.